‘Your government has taken away your right to peaceful protest,’ the activists say. ‘If you are not outraged by this, you are not paying attention’
ACTIVISTS from Just Stop Oil were arrested during their daily action in Parliament Square today as they marched against the detaining of protesters and fossil fuel projects in Britain.
More than 40 protesters set off from Charing Cross in central London at 8am, but were forced to move their action onto the pavement after being approached by police officers who said they would impose conditions under the Public Order Act (Section 12).
A blanket notice under the Act was issued on all London roads ahead of the action, making protests unlawful.
The protesters returned to the road while marching past Whitehall before being told to get off the road once again.
They returned to the road for a third time at Parliament Square at which point around 12 protesters were arrested.
Just Stop Oil supporters are now in their third week of marching in central London every day to demand an end to any new fossil fuel projects in the UK.
At 8 am, around 32 Just Stop Oil supporters began marching from Queen Victoria Street near Mansion House tube station. Just Stop Oil supporters have been marching in the capital, every day since the 24th of April. Police are on scene and currently threatening to impose conditions under the public order act (section 12) in a bid to stifle legitimate dissent.
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“The Public Order Bill and specifically Section 12 notices are being used to remove the British public’s right to peacefully oppose government policies that threaten the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Marching has been an integral means of bringing about social change for centuries, be it for those seeking universal suffrage, those seeking to gain equality, or those seeking to make transport accessible for disabled people.”
The government continues to face criticism in the wake of the wrongful arrests of dozens of peaceful protestors during the coronation, including 19 Just Stop Oil supporters and two independent journalists. No Just Stop Oil supporters have been charged, but some have been released ‘under investigation’ meaning media organisations are unwilling to interview them.
In a statement, it said the arrests took place during “an all-day nonviolence training” workshop that had been “publically advertised”.
In a statement released later on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said it arrested 14 people in East London “on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance”.
Around 20 supporters of Just Stop Oil have been arrested for wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts at the coronation. Just Stop Oil is demanding no new licences or consents for any fossil fuel projects in the UK.
At around 9:30am, during this morning’s coronation celebrations, around 20 supporters were arrested wearing Just Stop Oil t-shirts. No disruptive action was planned, the supporters were not intending to jump the barrier, merely reveal their t-shirts and hold flags emblazoned with ‘Just Stop Oil.’
This morning also saw the arrests of members of the group Republic, who campaign for an elected head of state to replace the monarch, who were arrested for wearing yellow t-shirts that featured the slogan ‘not my king.’
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“What a dystopian nightmare this country has become. While we gather to celebrate putting a billionaire in a sparkly hat; this week the government enacted draconian legislation effectively banning legitimate dissent in this country. As this morning’s events demonstrate, we are living in an authoritarian police state.”
“As the world looks on in horror, the government brings in laws that would make a dictator blush. The British people’s fundamental democratic right to march and make our voices heard, has been stripped from us. This affects every one of us, regardless of our political persuasion.”
“Our government is signing the death warrants of hundreds of millions. Our democracy has been stolen by a corrupt, criminal cabal and if the local election results are anything to go by, the people of this country have had enough. Our government has been bought by the fossil fuel lobby and now they’re busy funnelling taxpayers’ money into companies that are making record profits and jailing anyone with the temerity to complain about it.”
Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.
Just Stop Oil are peacefully marching in defiance of new anti-protest legislation that came into effect yesterday. They state that they will immediately halt their campaign when the government makes a meaningful statement to end licensing and consents for any new fossil fuel projects in the UK.
From around 8:00 am, over 30 Just Stop Oil supporters began marching from Queen Victoria Street in the City of London. Just Stop Oil supporters have been slow marching in the capital every day since the 24th April.
Yesterday 23 Just Stop Oil supporters were arrested for peacefully marching from Downing Street to Parliament Square. The police were acting with new powers granted by the Home Office following the commencement of the ‘public order’ bill yesterday. This is the third piece of legislation in two years designed to silence legitimate dissent. The introduction of this bill has been described as ‘alarming’ by Amnesty International and ‘deeply troubling’ by the U.N High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The home secretary has also used a controversial ‘statutory instrument’ to grant extra powers to the police, in a bid to ban ‘slow walking’ demonstrations. In doing so, the home secretary has evaded the usual democratic process, as these measures were previously rejected from the ‘public order’ bill by the House of Lords.
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“Yesterday, 23 good people were arrested for peacefully marching between Downing Street and Parliament, in accordance with their fundamental human rights. Rights that are protected under international law. All legal avenues for dissent have now been banned by this illegitimate, criminal government. ”
“In licensing new fossil fuels, they are overseeing the destruction of our homes, livelihoods and food supply. This will lead to the collapse of ordered society. This is treason. Regardless of our divergent political beliefs, it is imperative the citizens of this country wake up to what is happening, and get onto the streets to resist. It is what our children and the next 10,000 generations demand of us. Any less is a betrayal of our loved ones and the hundreds of millions currently experiencing climate collapse around the world.”
